A Radio Equipment Housing, Installation and Assembly

This invention relates to a radio equipment housing for electronic communications devices, a radio equipment installation for providing a telecommunications network and a radio equipment assembly also for providing a telecommunications network.

Modern-day society expects to have reliable wireless communication and high-speed data connectivity on demand. This increased demand brings with it a need for increased numbers of coupled antennas, radio units and baseband units along with demand for more effective and efficiently deployable solutions.

One source of complexity in bringing connectivity to the public is that there are many telecommunications operators competing to provide this connectivity and this leads to ever-increasing numbers of electronic communications devices installed in metropolitan areas.

In an attempt to be inobtrusive, antennas are often mounted externally to existing street furniture, such as to streetlamps/lampposts, telephone posts, bus shelters or buildings. To facilitate such external mountings, the equipment needs to be small and light weight and so typical installations support just one spectrum band for a single operator. This approach therefore leads to further proliferation of installations to the extent that the benefits of unobtrusiveness are lost.

Another approach is to install electronic communications devices inside closed housings on the side of streets. These housings contain the required baseband units for coupling to an externally mounted antenna array. However, as competition between telecommunications operators grows, and as the various devices are incrementally upgraded or replaced, the housings become increasingly unwieldly as they are overfilled with equipment and lack any consistent organisation.

one or more wall portions defining an enclosure having a landlord entryway and an operator entryway, each entryway having a door arranged to be closable over the respective entryway; a radome arranged to cover the enclosure; a plurality of operator equipment cabinets, individually accessible via the operator entryway and arranged within a first volume of the enclosure, each cabinet configured to receive operator telecommunications equipment therein; a plurality of operator provision panels, accessible via the operator entryway and arranged within a second volume of the enclosure, each provision panel holding one or more provision ports for providing electrical connections for operator telecommunications equipment housed within a respective adjacent operator equipment cabinet; an electrical supply panel, accessible via the landlord entryway and arranged within a third volume of the enclosure, for supplying power to the provision ports of the provision panels; and, at least one telecommunications antenna positioned in a roof space covered by the radome and connectable to the operator telecommunications equipment. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a radio equipment housing for electronic communications devices, comprising:

By means of the invention, a radio equipment housing (or “housing”) is provided with a landlord entryway and an operator entryway, which may be considered as entryways for use by one or more landlords and one or more operators respectively. A landlord may be a person that owns and/or manages the housing, or a person associated with a party that owns and/or manages the housing. From hereon, “landlord” will be understood as referring equally to either a specific person owning the housing or a person associated with a party owning the housing. Further, it will be appreciated that the term “landlord” is not intended in a legal sense with respect to property law, but rather as a descriptive label indicating the possible circumstances of a user of the housing, particularly one having access to the landlord entryway.

The landlord may let, sell, grant, act as licensor or otherwise provide access to the housing to one or more operators. In particular, the landlord may allocate one or more operator equipment cabinets and operator provision panels to a particular operator in addition to the ability to access the housing via the operator entryway. The landlord may also provide authorisation to use certain equipment within the housing, such as the at least one telecommunications antenna within the roof space of the housing.

Accordingly, an operator is a person that may rent, buy, accept, act as licensee or otherwise obtain rights to use the housing from the landlord, or is a person associated with a party that may do so. In that sense, an “operator” may be considered as sharing similar circumstances to a tenant of a property. Therefore, in the context of this application, the terms “operator” and “tenant” may be used interchangeably with the understanding that the term “tenant” is not intended in a legal sense with respect to property law.

From hereon, the terms “operator” and/or “tenant” will be understood as referring equally to either a specific person with rights to use the housing or a person associated with a party owning such rights.

For example, the operator may be a telecommunications operator providing wireless communication and high-speed data connectivity to members of the public.

The separation of the landlord and operator entryways provides a landlord with a means of limiting access available to one or more operators. For example, there may be equipment within the housing that operators do not require access to in order to install and operate their own electronic communications devices. Such equipment may include equipment relating to the provision of electrical supply or environment control. Accordingly, the separation of the landlord and operator entryways represents a first means of organising the housing and reducing the likelihood of a single operator's activities negatively impacting the overall housing and/or ‘neighbour’ operators.

The plurality of operator equipment cabinets and respective operator provision panels allow for allocation of clearly defined spaces to be used by a particular operator. Each cabinet is configured to receive operator telecommunications equipment therein. The cabinets may all be the same size or may be a variety of sizes to cater for the needs of one or more operators. Further, operators may be provided with access to just one cabinet or more than one cabinet depending on their requirements.

Each provision panel holds one or more provision ports for providing electrical connections for operator telecommunications equipment housed within a respective adjacent operator equipment cabinet. In other words, each provisional panel is associated with, and configured for, an adjacent cabinet, meaning that cables extending from each provision panel to the respective cabinet may travel a direct path with little to no interference or tangling with other cables.

The electrical supply panel, which supplies electrical power to the plurality of provision ports, is accessible via the landlord entryway and may not be accessible via the operator entryway. This means that the landlord has control over the electrical power supply to the various operators' telecommunications equipment and prevents aa operator from inadvertently adjusting the electrical power supply to a neighbouring operator's telecommunications equipment. For example, it may not be possible for an operator to accidentally knock a switch that turns off power to a neighbouring operator's provision panel. Also, if a particular operator stops using the housing (either permanently or temporarily), it is simple for the landlord to turn off electrical supply to any telecommunications equipment left in the operator's equipment cabinet so that electrical power is not wasted.

In some instances, the landlord and one or more operators may be the same party or may be separate individuals associated with the same party. For example, the landlord may be a telecommunications operator that uses one telecommunications equipment cabinet and lets out one or more further telecommunications equipment cabinet for use by one or more other telecommunications operators. Nevertheless, the organisation of the housing's contents into distinct volumes within the housing provides many, if not all, of the same benefits when in use in such instances.

In some embodiments of the invention, the operator equipment cabinets may be vertically spaced in a stacked arrangement within the first volume. In such embodiments, the operator provision panels may be vertically spaced in a stacked arrangement within the second volume, each operator provision panel arranged in substantially the same plane as the respective adjacent operator equipment cabinet.

This vertical spacing of the operator equipment cabinets and provision panels means that there will be little or no reason for a particular operator to introduce telecommunications equipment to the housing that is spaced apart across different levels with interconnecting cables extending between them. The vertical spacing therefore allows for improved organisation of space within the housing and reduces or eliminates confusion caused by randomly positioned telecommunications equipment and tangled cables.

In some embodiments of the invention, the electrical supply panel may comprise a plurality of operator supply regions, each operator supply region configured to supply power to a respective provision panel. This allows the landlord to organise the landlord-accessible contents of the housing to correspond to the operator-accessible contents, thereby improving the ease with which the housing may be organised.

one or more operator equipment cabinets; one or more operator provision panels; or, one or more operator equipment cabinets and the respective one or more operator provision panels. In further embodiments of the invention, the radio equipment housing may further comprise one or more operator closures, each operator closure arranged to be independently closable over:

Accordingly, when an operator accesses the housing, they may open only their own closure. This reduces the likelihood of confusion between similar telecommunication equipment owned by different operators and allows an operator to easily focus only on their own telecommunications equipment.

Furthermore, the, or each, operator closure may be independently lockable and unlockable. This provides each operator with privacy over their telecommunications equipment and prevents tampering (either accidentally or on purpose).

In embodiments of the invention, at least one of the one or more wall portions may comprise an intake vent arrangement.

The intake vent arrangement may comprise a filter assembly for removably receiving one or more air filters. The air filters may be configured to remove particulates from the air that may enter and build up over time, thereby reducing cooling efficiency and potentially causing damage to the telecommunications equipment. The air filters may additionally or alternatively be configured to remove vapours, such as water vapour, from the air before it enters one or more operator equipment cabinets, thereby reducing the likelihood of water damage to telecommunications equipment. This may be particularly beneficial if the housing is used in humid climates.

Heat may be generated within the housing by various telecommunications equipment operating at the same time. Therefore, providing ventilation through the housing may be beneficial to prevent the housing from overheating.

The term “overheating” may be considered as referring to a situation when the temperature in the housing undesirably raises above a particular temperature. The particular temperature associated with overheating may represent a temperature difference with the surrounding ambient temperate (e.g. it may be undesirable for the temperature inside the housing to raise more than 10 degrees above the surrounding ambient temperature. Alternatively, the particular temperature associated with overheating may be a temperature above which the functionality of telecommunications equipment may be negatively affected (e.g. some telecommunications equipment may be detrimentally affected by temperatures above 35° C.).

In some embodiments of the invention, each operator equipment cabinet may comprise an air inlet and an air outlet. The radio equipment housing may comprise a fluid movement device (e.g. a fan) arranged proximally to one or more air inlets or air outlets and operable to move air through the respective one or more operator equipment cabinets. The air inlet and air outlet may be arranged such that operation of the one or more fluid movement device generates a crossflow of air through the respective one or more operator equipment cabinets.

Operator equipment cabinets may comprise telecommunications equipment which may be among the primary generators of heat within the housing and may also benefit most from cooling to ensure proper functionality. Accordingly, providing a crossflow of air through one or more operator equipment cabinets can be beneficial both for cooling the telecommunications equipment inside as well as controlling the overall temperature inside the housing.

The fluid movement device may be accessible via the landlord entryway while being arranged to remove air from the respective one or more operator equipment cabinets. This allows the landlord to have control over the fluid movement device's operation. For example, it may be desirable to reduce or stop operation of a fluid movement device if the respective operator equipment cabinet is unused. Conversely, it may be desirable to increase operation of a fluid movement device if the respective operator equipment cabinet is heavily used.

A landlord may alternatively attach a blanking plate to an air inlet or outlet of an operator equipment cabinet in order to entirely prevent air passing through it. This may be useful if one or more operator equipment cabinet are unused as those cabinets can be blocked so that air passes through only the operator equipment cabinet(s) in use.

The radio equipment housing may comprise a plurality of fluid movement devices with one or more fluid movement devices arranged to generate a cross-flow of air through any one or more of a plurality of operator equipment cabinet.

Each air inlet of the equipment cabinet may be arranged proximally to the intake vent arrangement. This may allow air from outside of the housing to be drawn directly through one or more operator equipment cabinets. This may be particularly beneficial if the housing is situated in an environment where the ambient air temperature is typically in the range of an optimal operating temperature of telecommunications equipment.

In some embodiments of the invention, the radio equipment housing may further comprise an exhaust vent arrangement allowing air that has travelled through one or more operator equipment cabinets to exit the housing. This prevents warm air building up in the radio equipment housing increasing the internal temperature and reducing the efficacy of the intake vent arrangement and one or more fluid movement devices.

In some embodiments of the invention, the radio equipment housing may further comprise an exhaust control device coupled to the exhaust vent arrangement and configured to control the rate that air exits the radio equipment housing.

In some situations it may be beneficial to retain some heat in the radio equipment housing. For example, if the outside temperature is particularly cold, it may be beneficial to maintain a warmer temperature inside the housing so that electrical devices are operating in optimal conditions. Further, maintaining temperature above a certain level will protect against condensation forming on internal surfaces of the housing. Accordingly, the exhaust control device may be configured to slow the rate of air exhausted from the housing so that warm air is retained sufficiently to maintain an internal temperature within a predetermined range. For example, between 0° and 30°, preferably between 5° and 25°, more preferably between 10° and 20°.

In some embodiments of the invention, the one or more fluid movement devices and the exhaust control device may be operable to maintain an internal pressure within the radio equipment housing that is greater than an external pressure outside of the radio equipment housing. It will be appreciated that the internal pressure may be maintained as greater than the external pressure when the doors are closed. When one or both doors are open, operation of the one or more fluid movement devices and the exhaust control device to maintain the desired internal pressure may be paused until both doors are closed once more.

In this context, the one or more fluid movement devices and the exhaust control device may be considered as a positive input ventilation (PIV) system for the radio equipment housing.

By controlling airflow in and out of the radio equipment housing so that the internal pressure is greater than the external pressure, unintended inflow of air through any small gaps that exist in the structure of the radio equipment housing will be prevented. This means that the only air entering the radio equipment housing (unless one or both doors are opened) is air that enters through air filters within the intake vent arrangement. Thus, the housing is protected from unfiltered air.

The connector channel may allow for connectors, such as data and/or power cables, to be neatly positioned and, optionally, concealed while extending from the plurality of operator equipment cabinets to the roof space. This may reduce the degree to which connectors extend along random paths that may be obstructive to users of the housing.

In embodiments of the invention, one or more of the plurality of operator equipment cabinets, plurality of operator provision panels, electrical supply panel and connector channel form a rigid three-dimensional structure extending across an internal dimension of the enclosure, thereby rigidifying the enclosure.

One or more of the plurality of operator equipment cabinets, plurality of operator provision panels, electrical supply panel and connector channel may have a rigid construction by virtue of the various walls and shelves that are fixed together to provide the different cabinets, panels and/or channels. On the other hand, the one or more walls that define the enclosure of the housing may lack a degree of rigidity due to the size of the one or more walls, unless proper bracing is provided. There may be various suitable methods of bracing the one or more walls of the housing, such as providing a network of supportive struts. However, fixing a rigid three-dimensional structure (formed from one or more of one or more of the plurality of operator equipment cabinets, plurality of operator provision panels, electrical supply panel and connector channel) to the one or more walls of the housing may provide the same rigidifying effect and reduces or avoids the requirement for additional components being added to the housing. This may therefore reduce the cost and weight of the housing and may also save space within the housing.

In some embodiments of the invention, the landlord entryway and the operator entryway may be arranged on substantially opposing sides of the enclosure. This provides a clear demarcation between the areas accessible by different parties and reduces the likelihood of confusion between equipment that may be accessed by a operator and equipment that should only be accessed by the landlord.

For example, the one or more wall portions may comprise four wall portions including a first wall portion, comprising the landlord entryway, and a second wall portion, comprising the operator entryway, arranged substantially opposite the first wall portion. In other words, the one or more wall portions may form an enclosure with a rectangular cross-section (or a cross-section with a similar quadrilateral shape such as parallelogram or rhombus), wherein the landlord and operator entryways are on opposing sides.

In embodiments of the invention, the roof space may be accessible via the landlord entryway, operator entryway or both.

As the roof space houses at least one telecommunications antenna, it may be beneficial to allow both the landlord and the operator to readily access the roof space. For example, a landlord may require access to connect electrical supply cables to the at least one telecommunications antenna so that it is provided with a sufficient and correct electrical supply. Meanwhile, a operator may also require access to connect data transfer cables to the at least one telecommunications antenna from the operator's telecommunications equipment.

Further, both a landlord and an operator may require access to the roof space to install, and connect electrical supply and data transfer cables to, equipment in the roof space other than the at least one telecommunications antenna. For example, a landlord or an operator may benefit from installing a Wi-Fi® router in the radio equipment housing and an optimal location for such a Wi-Fi® router may be the roof space by virtue of the additional height and the reduction of surrounding electronic equipment that may interfere with a Wi-Fi® signal.

In embodiments of the invention, the radio equipment housing may further comprise a connector channel, arranged within a fourth volume of the enclosure, providing space for one or more connectors to extend at least partially from the plurality of operator equipment cabinets and/or the plurality of operator provision panels to, at least, the antenna, the connector channel comprising a channel accessway suitable for access of an operator via the operator entryway.

four wall portions defining an enclosure having a landlord entryway and an operator entryway located substantially opposite to the landlord entryway, each entryway having a door arranged to be closable over the respective entryway; a radome arranged to cover the enclosure; a plurality of vertically spaced operator equipment cabinets, individually accessible via the operator entryway and arranged within a first volume of the enclosure, each cabinet configured to receive operator telecommunications equipment therein; a plurality of vertically spaced operator provision panels, accessible via the operator entryway and arranged within a second volume of the enclosure, each provision panel holding one or more provision ports for providing electrical connections for operator telecommunications equipment housed within a respective adjacent operator equipment cabinet; an electrical supply panel, accessible via the landlord entryway and arranged within a third volume of the enclosure, for supplying power to the provision ports of the provision panels; and, at least one telecommunications antenna positioned in a roof space covered by the radome and connectable to the operator telecommunications equipment. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a radio equipment housing for electronic communications devices, comprising:

The features and advantages of the first aspect of the invention and its embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the second aspect of the invention and its embodiments.

The radio equipment housing (or ‘housing’) may have a substantially quadrilateral cross-sectional shape defined by the four wall portions. Preferably, the housing may have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape defined by the four wall portions. The cross-sectional shape may be considered as a rectangle or other quadrilateral shape despite having minor modifications to improve the aesthetics of the housing. For example, the housing may have rounded or chamfered corners or convex or concave walls and still be considered as having a substantially rectangular or quadrilateral cross-sectional shape.

at least one set of radios; the, or each, set of radios: comprising at least one 4G or 5G radio and a set of connectors for connecting the radios to a telecommunications antenna, and configured to be capable of, in use, providing an effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of substantially 100 W; and a telecommunications antenna configured to operate in a plurality of frequency bands and simultaneously transmit signals from a plurality of sets of radios, the telecommunications antenna comprising a plurality of ports, wherein the at least one set of radios is connected to the telecommunications antenna via a respective at least one set of ports of the plurality of ports, wherein the radio equipment installation is configured such that the radio equipment housing holds the telecommunications antenna at least 2.5 m above ground level and such that the radio equipment housing is located in its environment to provide a physical isolation zone extending radially from an outer surface of the telecommunications antenna by at least 1 m. According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a radio equipment installation for providing a telecommunications network, comprising a radio equipment housing installed at ground level, the radio equipment housing including:

The features and advantages of the first and second aspects of the invention and their embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the third aspect of the invention and its embodiments.

In some embodiments, the radio equipment housing houses the at least one set of radios and the telecommunications antenna.

It will be appreciated that “ground level” is to be understood as the level of an area of ground such as a road, pavement, sidewalk, pedestrianised area, park, carpark or train platform. In some embodiments, the radio equipment installation (or “installation”) be located in a public space or space accessible by the public such that the housing may be considered as “installed at ground level in a public space” or “installed at ground level in a publicly accessible environment”. In other embodiments, the installation may be located in a private location. For example, the installation may be located in a military base to provide a telecommunications network for that base.

It is anticipated that the radio equipment housing would typically be installed in outdoor spaces. However, in some instances, the housing may be installed in indoor spaces, particularly large indoor spaces that may have high densities of people requiring high quality 4G/5G access, such as arenas, stadiums, airports and train/subway stations.

Effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) may be calculated as follows:

Where: PTx is Transmitter Power (in Watts) G is Antenna Gain (in dBi) L is system losses (in dB)

As the EIRP that is provided to a telecommunications antenna increases, the levels of radiation emitted by the antenna also increase.

An antenna provided with an EIRP of 100 W will generate a field of potentially harmful radiation extending radially outward. In reality, the field of radiation extends irregularly with the average extent of potentially harmful radiation extending much less than 1 m, but there may be some spikes in certain directions that stretch as far as 1 m. Accordingly, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) determines that an antenna provided with an EIRP of 100 W should operate with an Exclusion Zone extending 1 m radially outward from the antenna, whereby the Exclusion Zone should not be entered.

Also, known radio and antenna devices suitable for an EIRP of 100 W are large and heavy to an extent that makes them very difficult to install in in publicly accessible spaces whilst also sufficiently spaced away from the reach of the public (i.e. elevated positions, such as mounted on lampposts or building facades).

For these reasons, radio and antenna devices suitable for an EIRP of 100 W are not currently installed in publicly accessible spaces.

A radio equipment installation according to a third aspect of the invention provides a solution to these issues and therefore enables installation of radios configured to provide an EIRP of 100 W in a publicly accessible setting. This is achieved through configuration of the radio equipment installation such that the radio equipment housing holds the telecommunications antenna at least 2.5 m above ground level (i.e. safely above head height) and such that a physical isolation zone extends radially from an outer surface of the at least one telecommunications antenna. In particular, the physical isolation zone extends radially from an outer surface of the at least one telecommunications antenna by at least 1 m, sufficient to prevent the public inadvertently entering the ICNIRP Exclusion Zone for an antenna provided with an EIRP of 100 W.

The physical isolation zone is to be understood as a zone that is physically isolated from inadvertent physical access by the public when the radio equipment housing is deployed in a publicly accessible environment as a radio equipment installation. It will be appreciated that the provision of the physical isolation zone is dependent on the location of the radio equipment housing within the immediate environment it is installed within and that a variety of considerations are therefore required when installing the radio equipment housing as part of a radio equipment installation. For example, the radio equipment housing may be set back from a nearby road to ensure that an occupant of a bus, lorry or other tall vehicle stopping at the side of the road alongside the radio equipment housing would not enter the physical isolation zone. In another example, the housing may be positioned away from street furniture (such as benches, stairs or bins) that could be climbed by a member of the public and allow that person to enter the physical isolation zone.

The radio equipment housing may comprise a physical barrier preventing access to the physical isolation zone. However, this is not necessarily the case. It will, therefore, be appreciated that climbing of the radio equipment housing while it is operational is an incorrect and unintended use of the radio equipment housing. Accordingly, although a member of the public may be able to climb the radio equipment housing and enter the physical isolation zone, this misuse of the housing should not be considered as impacting the scope of the claims presented herein.

In some embodiments, the physical isolation zone may extend radially from the telecommunications antenna by at least 1.25 m; preferably by at least 1.5 m. A physical isolation zone extending at least 1.25 m from is sufficient to prevent the public inadvertently entering the ICNIRP Exclusion Zone for an antenna provided with an EIRP of 200 W. A physical isolation zone extending at least 1.5 m from is sufficient to prevent the public inadvertently entering the ICNIRP Exclusion Zone for an antenna provided with an EIRP of 300 W.

An EIRP greater than 100 W, such as 200 W or 300 W, may be provided by a single set of radios or by a plurality of sets of radios. For example, two sets of radios that each provide 100 W to the telecommunications antenna will cause a total EIRP of 200 W to be provided to the telecommunications antenna.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the at least one set of radios comprises up to three sets of radios. The up to three sets of radios may be configured to be capable of, in use, providing an EIRP of substantially 300 W. In such embodiments, the physical isolation zone may extend at least 1.5 m.

In some embodiments of the invention, the physical isolation zone extends radially outwardly and horizontally from the at least one telecommunications antenna. The orientation of the physical isolation zone is dependent on the orientation of the ICNIRP Exclusion Zone, which is, in turn, dependent on the orientation of the telecommunications antenna. Preferably, the telecommunications antenna is oriented such that physical isolation zone extends horizontally, i.e. parallel to the ground. In embodiments in which the physical isolation zone does not extend horizontally, the telecommunications antenna may be held higher than 2.5 m above the ground so that the physical isolation zone does not drop below 2.5 m above the ground.

In further embodiments of the invention, the, or each, set of ports comprises at least 8 ports connected to an associated set of radios. This may facilitate suitable connection with the/each respective set of radios, particularly if the/each set of radios includes a plurality of radios. Furthermore, the telecommunications antenna may comprise three sets of ports. Accordingly, in some examples, the telecommunications antenna may comprise at least 24 ports.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the installation may further comprise at least one radio unit installed remotely to the radio equipment housing. The at least one radio unit may be connected to the radio equipment housing via a cabled connection.

In some embodiments of the invention, the at least one radio unit may be mounted on street furniture.

In additional embodiments of the invention, the installation may further comprise at least one hybrid fibre optic cable extending from the radio equipment housing to the at least one radio unit and configured to supply data and power from the radio equipment housing to the at least one radio unit. The at least one hybrid fibre optic cable may connect the radio equipment housing to the at least one radio unit.

In one or more embodiments of the invention, the installation may further comprise at least one base band unit. The at least one base band unit may be housed within the radio equipment housing.

In further embodiments of the invention, the radio equipment housing may be configured according the first aspect of the invention or the second aspect of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of installing radio equipment including at least one set of radios and a telecommunications antenna. The, or each, set of radios comprises at least one 4G or 5G radio and a set of connectors for connecting the radios to the telecommunications antenna, and is configured to be capable of, in use, providing an effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of substantially 100 W. The telecommunications antenna is configured to operate in a plurality of frequency bands and simultaneously transmit signals from a plurality of sets of radios. The telecommunications antenna comprises a plurality of ports, wherein the at least one set of radios is connected to the telecommunications antenna via a respective at least one set of ports of the plurality of ports. The method comprises housing the at least one set of radios and the telecommunications antenna within a radio equipment housing; and installing the radio equipment housing at ground level such that the radio equipment housing holds the telecommunications antenna at least 2.5 m above ground level and such that the radio equipment housing is located in its environment to provide a physical isolation zone extending radially from an outer surface of the telecommunications antenna by at least 1 m.

The features and advantages of the preceding aspects of the invention and their embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the fourth aspect of the invention and its embodiments.

In some embodiments, installing the radio equipment housing comprises locating the radio equipment housing in its environment to provide a physical isolation zone extending radially from an outer surface of the telecommunications antenna by at least 1.25 m; preferably by at least 1.5 m.

In one or more embodiments, the method may further comprise installing at least one radio unit remotely to the radio equipment housing. Installing the at least one radio unit may comprise installing the at least one radio unit on street furniture.

In additional embodiments, the method may further comprise installing at least one hybrid fibre optic cable connecting the radio equipment housing to the at least one radio unit. The at least one hybrid fibre optic cable may be configured to supply data and power from the radio equipment housing to the at least one radio unit.

In some embodiments, the method may further comprise housing at least one base band unit within the radio equipment housing.

at least one set of radios; the, or each, set of radios comprising at least one 4G or 5G radio and a set of connectors for connecting the radios to a telecommunications antenna; and a telecommunications antenna configured to operate in a plurality of frequency bands and simultaneously transmit signals from a plurality of sets of radios, the telecommunications antenna comprising a plurality of ports, wherein the at least one set of radios is connected to the telecommunications antenna via a respective at least one set of ports of the plurality of ports. According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a radio equipment assembly for providing a telecommunications network, comprising a radio equipment housing installed at ground level and at least one radio unit installed remotely to the radio equipment housing, wherein the at least one radio unit is connected to the radio equipment housing to receive data, power or both from the radio equipment housing, and wherein the radio equipment housing includes:

The features and advantages of the preceding aspects of the invention and their embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the fifth aspect of the invention and its embodiments.

By means of the invention, a radio equipment assembly (or “assembly”) may provide a telecommunications network wherein a radio equipment housing acts as a central hub while one or more remotely installed radio units expand the coverage of the telecommunications network in a flexible manner that may be optimised for each application (based on variables such as local topography, building structures, population density, traffic/footfall, etc.).

In some embodiments of the invention, the at least one radio unit may be mounted on street furniture. Non-exclusive, examples of suitable street furniture include lampposts road signs, tourist information signs, bus or tram stop shelters, gazebos or pagodas. In further embodiments, one or mor radio units may additionally or alternatively be mounted on larger structures such as retail kiosks, buildings and bridges. It will be appreciated that an assembly comprising a plurality of remotely installed radio units may comprise some radio units installed on street furniture and other radio units installed on other structures.

Known radio units are sometimes installed on existing street furniture, or other structures, to provide improved 4G and/or 5G connectivity in specific locations. Such radio unit installations may be referred to as micro cells or small cells. However, the positioning of such radio units is limited by access to a fibre optic data connection and/or a suitable power supply. This has stalled the deployment of small cells and micro cells across built-up areas such as dense city centres because the cost of installing the necessary underlying infrastructure on a per-unit basis is exorbitant.

The radio equipment assembly enables the installation of a single radio equipment housing in a central location which may have the capacity to transmit and receive data at very high speeds and/or transform high voltage alternating current (AC) to the low voltage direct current (DC) required by radio units. A simple cabled connection may then be provided to one or more radio units facilitating transfer of data and/or power without needing to install the same level of underlying infrastructure at each site that the radio units are installed.

In one or more embodiments invention, the radio equipment assembly may further comprise at least one hybrid fibre optic cable extending from the radio equipment housing to the at least one radio unit and configured to supply data and power from the radio equipment housing to the at least one radio unit. Thus, installation of only a single cable between the housing and each radio unit is required. The at least one hybrid fibre optic cable may connect the radio equipment housing to the at least one radio unit.

In some embodiments of the invention, the radio equipment assembly may comprise other components and/or devices. For example, the radio equipment assembly may further comprise at least one base band unit. The at least one base band unit may be housed within the radio equipment housing or may be stored remotely to the radio equipment housing.

In further embodiments of the invention, the at least one set of radios comprises up to three sets of radios. The up to three sets of radios may be configured to be capable of, in use, providing an EIRP of substantially 300 W.

In one or more embodiments invention, the, or each, set of ports in the telecommunications antenna may comprise at least 8 ports connected to an associated set of radios. The telecommunications antenna may comprise three sets of ports.

In some embodiments of the invention, the radio equipment housing is configured as a radio equipment housing according to the first aspect of the invention or the second aspect of the invention.

In further embodiments of the invention, the radio equipment housing is installed as a radio equipment installation according to the third aspect of the invention.

1 FIG. 2 2 4 6 shows an example embodiment of a radio equipment housing. The housingcomprises four wall portionsarranged in a substantially rectangular layout to define an enclosure.

In other embodiments, the four wall portions may be arranged in a different quadrilateral shape. In further embodiments, there may be a different number of wall portions arranged in any suitable shape to form an enclosure around internal components that are described below. For example, the housing may comprise a single wall portion that is curved to form an elliptically shaped enclosure, or the housing may comprise a plurality of wall portions arranged to define an enclosure shaped with a corresponding number of sides.

6 8 10 12 14 The enclosurecomprises a landlord entrywayand an operator entryway, each entryway having a door,arranged to be closable over the respective entryway.

8 10 2 6 4 8 4 4 10 2 8 2 10 In this embodiment, the landlord entrywayand operator entrywayare arranged on substantially opposing sides of the housing/enclosure. More specifically, a first wall portioncomprises the landlord entrywayand a second wall portionarranged substantially opposite the first wall portioncomprises the operator entryway. The side of the housinghaving the landlord entrywaymay be considered as the ‘landlord side’ and the side of the housinghaving the operator entrywaymay be considered as the ‘operator side’.

2 20 22 10 20 6 22 6 20 22 20 1 FIG. The housingfurther comprises a plurality of operator equipment cabinetsand a comprises a plurality of operator provision panels, each of which are accessible via the operator entryway. The plurality of operator equipment cabinetsare arranged within a first volume of the enclosurewhile the plurality of operator provision panelsare arranged within a second volume of the enclosure. In this embodiment, the plurality of operator equipment cabinetsand the plurality of operator provision panelsare vertically spaced in a stacked arrangement (i.e. above and/or below one another), hence only one operator equipment cabinetand one operator provision panel is visible in.

2 26 8 6 The housingalso comprises an electrical supply panel, accessible via the landlord entrywayand arranged within a third volume of the enclosure.

2 2 a b FIGS.and 2 14 15 show the operator side of the housingwith the operator dooropen to allow an operatorto access the contents of the operator side.

2 34 34 20 22 In this embodiment, the housingfurther comprises a plurality of operator closures, each operator closurearranged to be independently closable over both a specific operator equipment cabinetand its respective operator provision panel. Each operator closure is independently lockable and unlockable.

20 22 24 20 Each cabinetis configured to receive operator telecommunications equipment therein. Each provision panelholds one or more provision portsfor providing electrical connections for operator telecommunications equipment housed within the adjacent operator equipment cabinet.

In other embodiments, each operator closure may be independently closable over just an operator equipment cabinet or just an operator provision panel. Furthermore, it is possible each operator equipment cabinet and each operator provision panel has its own operator closure. In further embodiments, an operator closure may be closable over more than one operator equipment cabinet, more than one operator provision panel or more than one operator equipment cabinet and operator provision panel combination.

2 20 22 34 15 20 22 15 20 22 2 15 20 22 In the present embodiment, the housingcomprises a total of six operator equipment cabinetsand a respective number of operator provision panelsand operator closures. A single operatormay have access to only a single operator equipment cabinetand associated panel. Alternatively, a single operatormay have access to more than one operator equipment cabinetand associated panel. For example, the housingmay be used by three operators, each having access to two operator equipment cabinetsand associated panels.

2 2 2 20 22 34 In some embodiments, a housingmay be used by a predetermined maximum number of different operators. For example, a housingmay be used by a maximum of three different operators. Such housingsmay be configured with a respective number of operator equipment cabinets, operator provision panelsand/or operator closures.

2 16 16 30 32 16 32 10 2 2 a b FIGS.and 5 FIG. 5 FIG. The housingshown infurther comprises a radome, arranged to cover the enclosure, and a telecommunications antenna(see) positioned in a roof space(see) covered by the radome. The roof spaceis accessible via the operator entryway.

2 50 6 50 20 22 30 32 50 15 10 50 52 The housingalso comprises a connector channel, arranged within a fourth volume of the enclosure. The connector channelprovides space for one or more connectors to extend, at least partially, from the plurality of operator equipment cabinetsand/or the plurality of operator provision panelsto the telecommunications antennain the roof space. The connector channelcomprises a channel accessway suitable accessible by an operatorvia the operator entryway. Further, in this embodiment, the connector channelcomprises a channel closureclosable over the channel accessway.

15 14 52 34 2 14 52 34 In use, an operatormay be granted the ability to open the operator door, the channel closureand the one or more operator closuresthat close over the operator equipment cabinet(s) and provision panel(s) that the specific operator owns or is ‘renting’ from the landlord of the housing. This access may be granted with the provision of suitable unlocking means (such as keys, codes or electronic signatures) configured for unlocking respective locks of the operator door, channel closureand operator closure(s).

15 20 15 24 22 15 30 32 50 32 With this access, the operatormay install telecommunications equipment (not shown) into an operator equipment cabinet. The operatormay provide power to the telecommunications equipment by connecting it to a provision portin an adjacent operator provision panel. The operatormay also connect the telecommunications equipment to the telecommunications antennain the roof spaceby extending suitable connectors/cables across to the connection channeland up to the roof space.

20 22 50 32 2 34 2 The partitioning of the operator equipment cabinets, operator provision panels, connector channeland roof spaceenforces a degree of tidiness sufficient to ensure that the operator side of the housingremains organised and easy to use. This is in contrast to known radio equipment housings which rapidly become disorganised and unwieldly due to various different operators applying random approaches to equipment and cable placement and management. Further, the independently closable and lockable operator closuresensure that any operator accessing the radio equipment housingcan only access his/her own telecommunications equipment, providing each operator with privacy over their telecommunications equipment and preventing tampering (either accidentally or on purpose).

3 4 FIGS., 3 FIG. a b 4 2 26 26 2 2 26 andeach show the landlord side of the housing. In, the electrical supply panelis particularly visible. In this embodiment, the electrical supply panelis angled across the third volume so as to be easily accessible by a landlord standing outside of the housingwhile also allowing space for the landlord to step into the housing, for example to shelter from bad weather. The angled orientation of the electrical supply panelalso allows ample space behind the panel to conceal cabling.

26 24 22 10 26 28 The electrical supply panelis configured for supplying power to the provision portsof the provision panelsaccessible via the operator entryway. In this embodiment, the electrical supply panelcomprises a plurality of operator supply regions. For example, operator supply region may include one or more electrical plug sockets for supplying electricity from the electrical power grid (referred to as mains electricity in the UK) to a provision port.

28 22 28 20 The plurality of operator supply regions may include at least as many operator supply regions as there are operator equipment cabinets such that each operator supply regionmay be configured to supply power to a respective provision panel. In some examples, each operator supply regionmay be arranged in substantially the same plane as a respective operator equipment cabinet.

22 2 In use, a landlord will have access to provide or remove supply of power to any one of the operator provision panels. This provides the landlord with a suitable level of control over the usage of the housing. For example, the landlord may avoid wastage of energy that might otherwise occur if power was supplied to an operator provision panel that is no longer being actively used but remains connected to abandoned telecommunications equipment.

32 8 30 In this embodiment, the landlord will also have access to the roof spacevia the landlord entryway. The landlord will therefore be able to access the telecommunications antennain case adjustment, maintenance or replacement is required.

3 FIG. 20 40 2 also shows that the wall portion adjacent to the plurality of operator equipment cabinetscomprises an intake vent arrangementhaving vents that allow air into the housingfrom the surrounding environment.

4 4 a b FIGS.and 20 38 38 39 20 42 38 42 20 42 38 20 Referring now to, each operator equipment cabinetcomprises an air outlet. One or more air outletsmay be covered by a blanking plateto prevent air moving through the respective one or more operator equipment cabinets. Alternatively, a fluid movement devicemay be arranged proximally to one or more air outlets, the fluid movement deviceoperable to remove air from the respective one or more operator equipment cabinets. In this example, the fluid movement deviceis a fan coupled directly to an air outletand configured to suck air through the operator equipment cabinet.

39 36 38 In other embodiments, one or more blanking platesmay cover one or more air inletsrather than air outlets.

42 36 38 42 40 36 20 Similarly, one or more fluid movement devicesmay be arranged proximally to the air inletsrather than the air outlets. In such examples, the/each fluid movement devicewould be positioned between the intake vent arrangementand one or more air inletsand configured to blow air through the respective one or more operator equipment cabinets.

5 FIG. 2 38 20 36 shows a cross-section of the housing. In addition to comprising an air outlet, each operator equipment cabinetcomprises an air inlet.

20 36 38 20 36 38 39 42 5 FIG. 4 b FIG. For simplicity, only two of the operator equipment cabinetsare annotated with respective air inlets and outlets,. However, it may be assumed each operator equipment cabinethas both an air inletand an air outlet. One or more of the air outlets may be covered by a blanking plateor a fluid movement device(neither of which are shown in, but both are illustrated in).

40 44 46 20 4 4 8 1 FIG. The intake vent arrangementcomprises further comprises a filter assemblyfor removably receiving one or more air filters(shown in). The air filters may, for example, remove particulates and/or moisture from air before it enters the operator equipment cabinets. In the present embodiment, the wall portioncovers the air filters and the wall portionis removeable to allow removal and replacement of the air filters. In other embodiments, the air filters may be removeable in a cassette-like manner via the landlord entryway.

2 12 14 40 a. air drawn into the housing from the surrounding environment through the intake vent arrangement; 20 40 b. air drawn into one or more operator equipment cabinetsfrom the intake vent arrangement; 20 2 c. air drawn out of the one or more operator equipment cabinetsand expelled into the third volume of the housing; and 47 2 16 4 a FIGS. d. air expelled from the housing via exhaust vent arrangement(shown in) located towards the top of the housing(proximal to the radome). Arrows A, B, C, D represent the path of air through the housingduring typical operation (i.e. with the landlord and operator doors,closed). One or more fluid movement devices (not shown) cause movement of air as follows:

20 20 Telecommunications equipment operational inside the one or more operator equipment cabinetswill inherently generate heat and may be in danger of overheating if the temperature within the operator equipment housingsraises above a particular level.

20 2 20 Steps B and C, in particular, generates a crossflow of air through one or more operator equipment cabinets. As the air temperature outside housingis most likely lower than the temperature inside the operator equipment cabinets, the crossflow of air will typically have a cooling effect.

2 2 2 The air that is expelled into the third volume of the housingwill have been heated by the operational telecommunications equipment and will therefore rise through the housinguntil it is able to escape through an exhaust vent arrangement located towards the top of the housing.

42 42 In cold weather conditions, the fluid movement devicesmay be set to a low air-speed setting as the low temperature of the outside air will have a large cooling effect. The fluid movement devicesmay even be turned off entirely as movement of air caused by convection may result in sufficient cooling.

42 2 In hot weather conditions, the fluid movement devicesmay be set to a much higher air speed as the hotter air will have a reduced cooling effect and it will therefore be necessary to replace air inside the housingmuch faster so that the telecommunications equipment does not overheat.

2 48 2 48 In this embodiment of the invention, the radio equipment housingfurther comprises an exhaust control devicecoupled to the exhaust vent arrangement and configured to control the rate that air exits the housing. That is, the exhaust control devicecontrols the rate of step D.

48 2 More particularly, the exhaust control devicemay be configured to slow the rate of air exhausted from the housingso that warm air is retained sufficiently to maintain an internal temperature within a predetermined range. For example, between 0° and 30°, preferably between 5° and 25°, more preferably between 10° and 20°. This may be beneficial if, for example, the outside temperature is particularly cold and maintenance of a warmer temperature is required so that electrical devices in the housing are operating in optimal conditions. Maintaining temperature above a certain level may also protect against condensation forming on internal surfaces of the housing. This could help protect electrical components from water damage and also provide a better working environment for operators/landlords.

12 14 42 48 2 2 42 48 4 b FIG. Furthermore, under normal operating conditions with both doors,closed, the one or more fluid movement devices (e.g. the fluid movement deviceshown in) and the exhaust control deviceare operable to maintain an internal pressure within the housingthat is greater than an external pressure outside of the housing. When one or both doors are open, operation of the one or more fluid movement devicesand the exhaust control deviceto maintain the desired internal pressure may be paused until both doors are closed once more.

2 2 2 40 2 Controlling airflow in and out of the housingso that the internal pressure is greater than the external pressure prevents unintended inflow of air through any small gaps that exist in the structure of the housing. Therefore, the only air entering the housing(unless one or both doors are opened) is air that enters through air filters within the intake vent arrangement. Thus, the housingis protected from unfiltered air.

5 FIG. 30 32 Also visible inis the telecommunications antennapositioned in the roof spacecovered by the radome and connectable to the operator telecommunications equipment.

2 3 4 20 22 26 50 6 4 6 2 a FIGS. a A further aspect of the housing, which is particularly visible in,and, is that the plurality of operator equipment cabinets, plurality of operator provision panels, electrical supply paneland connector channelform a rigid three-dimensional structure extending across an internal dimension of the enclosure. This three-dimensional structure acts as a brace for all four wallsand thereby rigidifies the enclosureto be robust against external forces, caused by strong crosswinds for example.

2 2 This eliminates the need for additional bracing struts within the housingthat might otherwise obstruct landlord and/or operator access to the contents of the housing.

2 30 In use, the housingmay be used as a hub for providing a telecommunications network. For example, 4G and/or 5G radios may be connected to the telecommunications antennato supply 4G and/or 5G connectivity to a local area.

When providing 4G and/or 5G connectivity, telecommunications antennas are emitting radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Radiation levels associated with these fields are dependent on the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) that is supplied to the telecommunications antenna by the associated radios.

Known telecommunications radios installed in public places, such as streets, to boost 4G or 5G connectivity typically provide a low EIRP (e.g. up to 10 W). This means that the amount of radiation produced by the associated antenna is also low, so much so that the level of radiation is essentially negligible. That is, at any range beyond the physical housing of the antenna, the radiation is entirely non-harmful to humans. Furthermore, due to the low power requirements, such radios and antennas are typically installed in largely inaccessible locations, such as on lamp posts or on the sides of buildings and other similar structures.

However, as the demand for high quality 4G and 5G connectivity continues to increase, these low power telecommunications systems are increasingly inadequate, providing very minimal range for the strength of internet connection that is now required by the public in their everyday lives.

On the other hand, large radio towers are capable of providing high quality connectivity while also positioning antennas sufficiently removed from publicly accessible spaces to ensure that the emitted radiation is not harmful to the public. Unfortunately, many locations are ill-suited to benefit from that connectivity, particularly heavily built-up areas with large buildings that interrupt and dilute radio signals.

There is therefore a need for more powerful radios installed locally to provide high quality 4G and 5G connectivity, particularly in built-up areas with high population densities. However, it remains imperative that the public are not exposed to potentially harmful levels of radiation.

6 FIG. 100 100 100 102 102 110 shows a radio equipment installation(also referred to as an installation) for providing a telecommunications network. The installationcomprises a radio equipment housing(or housing) installed at ground level. In this instance, ground level is the level of a street pavement/sidewalk.

102 2 102 2 1 5 FIGS.to 1 5 FIGS.to In some embodiments, the housingmay be configured similarly or identically to the housingshown in. In other embodiments, the housingmay be configured differently to the housingshown in.

102 104 130 104 130 104 In this embodiment, the housingincludes a set of radiosand a telecommunications antenna. The set of radioscomprises at least one 4G or 5G radio and a set of connectors for connecting the radios to the telecommunications antenna. The set of radiosis also configured to be capable of, in use, providing an EIRP of 100 W.

130 104 130 104 130 The telecommunications antennais configured to operate in a plurality of frequency bands and transmit signals from the set of radios. Also, the telecommunications antennacomprises a plurality of ports, wherein the set of radiosis connected to the telecommunications antennavia a set of ports selected from the plurality of ports.

100 102 130 The installationis configured such that the housingholds the telecommunications antennaa predetermined height H above the ground. In this embodiment, the predetermined height His 2.5 m above ground level. In other embodiments, the predetermined height H may be higher than 2.5 m above ground level.

100 102 106 132 130 The installationis also configured such that the housingis located in its environment to provide a physical isolation zoneextending radially from an outer surfaceof the telecommunications antennaby a physical isolation radius PIR.

An antenna provided with an EIRP of 100 W will generate a field of potentially harmful radiation extending radially outward. In reality, the field of radiation extends irregularly with the average extent of potentially harmful radiation extending much less than 1 m, but there may be some spikes in certain directions that stretch as far as 1 m. Accordingly, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) determines that an antenna provided with an EIRP of 100 W should operate with an Exclusion Zone extending 1 m radially outward from the antenna, whereby the Exclusion Zone should not be entered.

6 FIG. 130 132 130 Accordingly, in the embodiment shown in, wherein the telecommunications antennais provided with an EIRP of 100 W, the physical isolation radius PIR equals 1 m. In other words, the housing is located in its environment so that member of the public cannot inadvertently enter a zone extending 1 m radially from the outer surface. Further, in this example, the telecommunications antennais oriented such that the Exclusion Zone and associated physical isolation zone extends horizontally.

6 FIG. 6 FIG. 102 112 110 102 112 106 114 102 120 114 102 120 106 In the example shown in, the environment of the housingis a street comprising a roadrunning parallel to the pavement. The housingis therefore positioned a suitable distance from the roadto ensure that passengers of tall passing vehicles will not enter the physical isolation zone. For example,shows a bustemporarily parked alongside the housing. Although a passengerof the busis occupying a region well above 2.5 m from ground level, the housingis positioned suitably far from the road the passengeris at no risk of inadvertently entering the physical isolation zone.

6 FIG. 116 102 116 122 116 106 122 The street shown inalso includes street furniture, specifically a litter bin. The housingis located sufficiently far from the litter binthat a pedestrianclimbing on top of the litter binwould not inadvertently enter the physical isolation zone. (In this example, the pedestrianmight be a child playing with friends.)

104 The set of radiosmay, for example, comprise a single 4G radio, two 4G radios, a 4G radio and a 5G radio, two 4G radios and a 5G radio, a 4G radio and two 5G radios, just a single 5G radio or two 5G radios.

130 In examples in which the telecommunications antennais provided with an EIRP of 100 W, a set of radios comprising just a single 4G radio would be configured so that the 4G radio provides the full 100 W. On the other hand, for a set of radios comprising more than one radio, the EIRP would be shared between them. If both a 4g radio and a 5G radio are included, the EIRP may not be divided evenly. In an example with a set of radios including one of each, the 4G radio may be configured to provide 20 W while the 5G radio provides 80 W. The 5G radio may be prioritised in this way due to the 5G frequency (3400 MHz) not propagating as far as 4G frequencies (e.g. 1800 MHz).

7 FIG. 102 104 104 104 a b c. Now referring to, the housingmay be fitted with up to three sets of radios,,

102 104 100 104 130 102 a 6 FIG. If the housingis installed with just a first set of radios(similarly to the installationshown in), the first set of radiosis configured to be capable of, in use, providing an EIRP of 100 W such that the total EIRP provided to the telecommunications antennais 100 W. The housingmay therefore be installed with a physical isolation zone extending with a physical isolation radius PIR1 of 1 m.

102 104 104 104 104 130 a b a b However, if the housingis installed with a first set of radiosand a second set of radios, both sets of radios,may be configured to be capable of, in use, providing an EIRP of 100 W such that the total EIRP provided to the telecommunications antennais 200 W.

102 The higher EIRP results in a larger ICNIRP Exclusion Zone of 1.25 m. Accordingly, the housingmay therefore be installed with a physical isolation zone extending with a physical isolation radius PIR2 of 1.25 m.

102 104 104 104 104 104 104 130 a b c a b c Furthermore, if the housingis installed with a first set of radios, a second set of radiosand a third set of radios, all three sets of radios,,may be configured to be capable of, in use, providing an EIRP of 100 W such that the total EIRP provided to the telecommunications antennais 300 W.

102 106 In this case, the higher EIRP results in a larger ICNIRP Exclusion Zone of 1.5 m. Accordingly, the housingmay be installed with a physical isolation zoneextending with a physical isolation radius PIR3 of 1.5 m.

102 130 The inclusion of two or three sets of radios may be particularly useful as it allows two or three different telecommunications operators to distribute a 4G and/or 5G network from the same housing, via the same telecommunications antenna. This means that a single structure can be used by multiple telecommunications operators to provide high quality 4G/5G connectivity to their customers. Consequently, the number of telecommunication structures installed in streets and other public places may be reduced.

102 102 2 2 1 5 FIGS.- Especially in instances where multiple telecommunications operators are using the same housing, it may be particularly advantageous if the housingis configured similarly to the housingshown in. The operator side of the housingis optimally arranged for safely, securely and neatly storing telecommunications equipment belonging to separate parties.

104 104 104 130 104 104 104 a b c a b c To provide for suitable connection between the/each set of radios,,and the telecommunications antenna, each set of ports comprises at least eight ports connected to an associated set of radios,,. For example, each set of ports may comprise four 4G ports and four 5G ports. If a set of radios comprises more than one of either a 4G radio or a 5G radio, combiners may be used to facilitate suitable connection with the relevant ports.

102 104 104 104 130 a b c Accordingly, as the housingmay be fitted with up to three sets of radios,,, the telecommunications antennacomprises at least three sets of ports, corresponding to at least 24 ports in total.

6 7 FIGS.and 106 106 In examples beyond those shown in, a single set of radios may be configured to be capable of, in use, providing an EIRP of more than 100 W, such as 200 W or 300 W. In such examples, the physical isolation zonewould be expanded very similarly to a housing comprising more than one set of radios. That is, if a single set of radios provides an EIRP of 200 W, the housing would be installed with physical isolation zonehaving a physical isolation radius of 1.25 m. Meanwhile, if a single set of radios provides an EIRP of 300 W, the housing would be installed with physical isolation zone having a physical isolation radius of 1.5 m.

8 FIG. 300 300 300 302 302 shows a radio equipment assembly(also referred to as an assembly). The assemblycomprises a radio equipment housing(or housing) installed at ground level.

302 304 330 330 330 330 The housingincludes at least one set of radiosand a telecommunications antenna. The, or each, set of radios comprising at least one 4G or 5G radio and a set of connectors for connecting the radios to the telecommunications antenna. The telecommunications antennais configured to operate in a plurality of frequency bands and simultaneously transmit signals from a plurality of sets of radios. The telecommunications antennaalso comprises a plurality of ports, wherein the at least one set of radios is connected to the telecommunications antenna via a respective at least one set of ports of the plurality of ports.

302 2 102 2 302 100 1 5 FIGS.to 1 5 FIGS.to 6 FIG. In some embodiments, the housingmay be configured similarly or identically to the housingshown in. In other embodiments, the housingmay be configured differently to the housingshown in. Furthermore, the housingmay be installed as part of an installation similar or identical to the installationshown in.

300 306 302 306 302 308 302 306 302 308 The assemblyfurther comprises at least one radio unitinstalled remotely to the radio equipment housing, wherein the at least one radio unitis connected to the housingvia a cabled connectionto receive data, power or both from the housing. The radio unitmay also supply data to the housingvia the cabled connection.

316 In this example, the at least one radio unit is mounted on street furniture, specifically a lamppost. Other suitable street or park furniture might include road signs, tourist information signs, bus or tram stop shelters, gazebos or pagodas. Alternatively, a radio unit may be mounted on larger structures such as retail kiosks, buildings and bridges.

308 302 306 306 330 306 302 As mentioned above, the cabled connectionmay facilitate transfer of date from the housingto the radio unitand/or from the radio unitto the housing. Accordingly, 4G and/or 5G connectivity may be provided by both the telecommunications antennaand the radio unit. Thus coverage may be expanded compared to the housingoperating independently and certainly compared to known telecommunications devices currently in deployment that operate independently of one another.

308 302 306 300 300 302 308 306 8 FIG. The cabled connectionmay additionally, or alternatively, facilitate supply of power from the housingto the radio unit. Although radio units suitable for incorporation in a radio equipment assembly (such as the assemblyshown in) are well known, a common hurdle in deploying them successfully is a lack of access to a suitable power supply. The assemblyovercomes this problem as the housingmay comprise a distribution substation capable of transforming high voltage alternating current (AC) to the low voltage direct current (DC) required by radio units. Accordingly, the cabled connectionfacilitates supply of low voltage DC to radio unit.

308 302 306 302 306 306 302 308 302 306 The cabled connectionmay comprise at least one hybrid fibre optic cable extending from the housingto the radio unitand configured to supply both data and power from the housingto the radio unit. The radio unitmay also supply data to the housingvia the hybrid fibre optic cable. Thus, only a single cable requires installation between the housingand the radio unit. Simplification of the installation process can be of vital importance, particularly in densely populated areas where road closures can be very costly.

9 FIG. 8 FIG. 400 400 400 300 306 306 408 302 306 shows a radio equipment assembly(also referred to as an assembly). The assemblyis the same as the assemblyshown inexcept that it comprises a plurality of radio units, each mounted on a respective lamppost. Accordingly, the cabled connectionconnects the housingto each of the radio units.

302 306 302 The housingmay be considered as a hub providing high quality 4G and/or 5G connectivity over a wide area and with strong in-building penetration, while the plurality of remote radio unitsact as spokes extending the reach of telecommunications network to key areas beyond the scope of the housingat a relatively low cost, albeit with lower power and capacity for in-building penetration.

302 30 This may be useful in a variety of different situations. For example, a housingmay be installed in a central location of a town or city that often represents a gathering point for resulting in high densities of people requiring 4G/5G connectivity, such as a town square, for example. Connected radio unitsmay be strategically placed along nearby streets and roads spreading from the central location, particularly those that experience heavy traffic or footfall and might therefore require a boost in connectivity.

302 306 Issues with 4G/5G connectivity often occur when a particular event, such as a music concert or sports event, is attended by a large number of people (e.g. tens of thousands) the majority of whom desire access to a strong internet connection with their mobile phones. Accordingly, in another example, a housingmay be installed outside an arena or stadium that regularly hosts such events. Connected radio unitsmay be positioned along the routes that people tend to travel along when arriving at or departing from the venue.

302 102 302 302 2 302 7 FIG. 1 5 FIGS.to In some examples, the housingis configured similarly to the housingshown inin that the housingmay be fitted with up to three sets of radios. Each set of radios may belong to a respective telecommunications operator providing wireless communication and high-speed data connectivity to respective customers. Thus, the housingis further configured similarly to the housingshown inso that each operator has its own space within the housingto store its set of radios and associated equipment.

306 306 304 302 In certain examples, a remote radio unitmay be configured for use by a single operator. In such examples, the radio unitmay be configured very similarly to the respective operator's set of radiosstored in the housing. This provides each operator with greater control over its telecommunications equipment.

306 302 In other examples, a remote radio unitmay be configured to be shared by all operators using the associated housing. This enables network connectivity to be extended while minimising duplication of equipment and reducing overall cost.

6 8 FIGS.and 104 304 130 330 104 304 130 330 102 302 102 302 102 302 130 330 102 302 106 With reference to, a method of installing radio equipment including at least one set of radios/and a telecommunications antenna/may comprise housing the at least one set of radios/and the telecommunications antenna/within a radio equipment housing/. The method may also comprise installing the radio equipment housing/at ground level such that the radio equipment housing/holds the telecommunications antenna/at least 2.5 m above ground level and such that the radio equipment housing/is located in its environment to provide a physical isolation zoneextending radially from an outer surface of the telecommunications antenna by at least 1 m.

102 302 102 302 106 Installing the radio equipment housing/may comprise locating the radio equipment housing/in its environment to provide a physical isolation zoneextending radially from an outer surface of the telecommunications antenna by at least 1.25 m; or by at least 1.5 m.

306 102 302 306 306 316 The method may further comprise installing at least one radio unitremotely to the radio equipment housing/. Installing the at least one radio unitmay comprise installing the at least one radio uniton street furniture.

308 102 302 306 308 102 302 306 In additional embodiments, the method may further comprise installing at least one hybrid fibre optic cableconnecting the radio equipment housing/to the at least one radio unit. The at least one hybrid fibre optic cablemay be configured to supply data and power from the radio equipment housing/to the at least one radio unit.

102 302 The method may also comprise housing at least one base band unit within the radio equipment housing/.